Circuit-breaker.



A. J. LOGUIN.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLIQATION FILED DEC. 12, 1910.

i ,1 1 5 ,448. Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. I "wmwlfi Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

S SHEETSSHEBT 2.

A. J. LOG-UIN.

GI RG UIT BREAKER.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG,12,1910.

1,1 15,448. Patented 0013.27, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

that the arcing contacts remain UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER J. LOGUIN, OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

' Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1914.

To all whom. it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ALEXANDER J. Lo-

cum, asubject of the Czar of Russia, residingat West Allis, in thecounty of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to circuit-breakers. Among the'objects of myinvention are to improve and simplify the construction ofcircuit-breakers, to cheapen their cost of manufacture, to provide aneifectiveengaging action between the main contacts, and to mount thearcing contacts so that they have a more desirable action in engagingand dis engaging.

- In carrying out my invention, the movable contact of the switch ismounted on an arm which is connected to a suitable support by crossedlinks. By reason of this mounting, the engagement of the relativelymovable contacts of the switch is effected with a slicing or obliquewiping action. The movable arcin contact is mounted on an arm separaterom the main contact-carrying arm, but so mechanically connected theretoin engagement until some time after the main contacts have separated,and then separate with 'a comparatively quick motion. The mounting forthe main and arcing contacts is 051- pa 1 e of use separately Thecircuit-breaker may be operated by any the preferred operating mechanismbeing a cam.

The various novel features of or in conjunction.

my inven- .tionwill appear from the description and drawings, and willbe i in open position;

particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is aside view of my improved switch or circuit-breaker inclosed position. F 2 is a side view of the same switch Fig. 3 is apartial plan view of the same switch; and Fig. 4 is a front viewthereof. I

On the base 10, of suitable insulating material, are mounted twosupports 11 and 12 for the fixed contacts of the switch. These contactsare connected to suitable bolts 13- and 1 1 which extend through thebase 10 for connection purposes. On each support 11 and 12 are mounted agroup of laminae forces the lower end of 15, which are preferablyoblique to the face of the base 10. Each support 11 and 12 also carriesa spring arcing contact 16, preferably at the side of the correspondinggroup of laminae 15. On the base 10 is also a support 17 for the movableparts of the switch. An arm 18, carrying at its outer end the mainmovable contact 19, is mounted on the support 17 by two crossed links orpairs of links 20 and 21. The support 17, the arm 18, and the links 20and 21 form a complete linkwork. A handle member '22 is pivoted to-somesuitable part of the linkwork, preferably the pivotal point between thelink 20 and the arm 18, and is provided with a cam 23 which cooperateswith a roller 24 on'the support 17 to cause the movement of the arm 18.A spring 25 extends'from the support 17 to a projection 26 from thehandle member 22, and tends to move :the switch parts into the positionshown'in Fig. 2. An arm 27, mounted on the support 17, carries a springarm 28 on the end of which is a cross piece 29 carrying the movablearcing contacts 30, which cooperate with the stationary arcing contacts16. Th

point of the linkwork, preferably at the pivotal point between the link21 and the arm 1.8. The switch is shown in open posi tion in Fig. 2.

By depressing the handle 22 the cam 23 the arm 18 to the right, causesthe links 20 and 21 to swing in e arm 28 is connected by a link 39 31 tothe arm 18 or some other suitable a counter-clockwise direction abouttheir fixed pivots on the support 17, and thus causes the upper end ofthe-arm 18' to move to the left to bring the of the link 81, thismovement causes the arm 27 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction tobring the arcing contacts 30 into engagement with the arcing contact 16.After the arcing contacts have been brought into engagement, thecontinued movement of the handle 22 causes the beveled surfaces of thetwo sides of the main contact 19 to engage the two groups of laminae 15,and as they engage to slide thereon with an oblique slicing motion whichis very effective to keep the contacts clean. The spring arms 28 bend toallow this continued motion of movable contact 19 toward-the groups oflaminae 15. By reasonthe handle 22, but becauseof the way the link 31 isconnected they "need not bend very greatly, for the first part of theclosmg movement of the arm 18 produces the greatest part of the closingmovement of the arm 27. The cam 23 and the linkwork are so designed thatthe contact 19 is forced agalnst the laminae 15 with, considerablepressure, but-because of the arrangement of'the parts the stresses inthe links 20-and 21 are entirely tensional and their dimensions may becomparatively small.

When the parts have, been brought fully into the'position. shown in Fig.1, a latch 32 on the handle member 22 engages a latch 33 mounted on ashaft 34 carried b the support 17 The switch is now closed and currentmay pass from the bolt 13 through the .support 11, one group of laminae15, the movable contact 19, the other group of laminae 15, the support12, and the bolt 14. From the bolt 14, the circuit may extend, bysuitable connections, through the overload coil 35 to the switchterminal 36. In caseof an overload, the coil 35 lifts its core 3'2,

and a pin 38 carried by the core engages "a pin 39 carried by an arm 40mounted on the shaft 34. This disengages the latch 33 from the latch 32and causes the switch to open. The parts 32. and 33 may also bedisengaged manuallygif. de-. sired, by a thumb button 41 on the latch32.

Upon such disengagement, the spring 25,1 which was expanded when theparts were in the position shown in Fig. 1, contracts to move the partsto the position shown in Fig, 2,'

thus opening the switch. In this opening movement the contact 19 leavesthe groupsof laminae 15 while the arcing contacts 30 and. 16 .arestillfin firm engagement, and;

only after the movable contact 19 has moved some distance away from thelaminae 15 is the arm '27'moved sufliciently to separate the movablearcing contacts 30 from the stationary arcing contacts 16. Then themovement of the arcing contact 30 is comparatively rapid, so that anyare which may be' formed is almost immediately broken.

Many modifications may bemade in the precise arrangement shown anddescribed. For instance, the switch may be a single break switch, thetwo groups of .laminae l5' then being permanently connected together andthe arm 18 serving as a current-carrying arm. All such modificationswhich do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of myinvention I aim to cover in the following claims.

What I'claim as new is:

1. In a switch, the combination of a sup-' port, an arm mounted on saidsupport by means of two crossed links, a contact carried I by said arm,and another contact cobperating with the first.

2. In a switch, the combination of a ,sta-

narrates tionary contact, a support, two crossedlinks pivoted atdifierent centers on such support, an armto which the free ends of suchlinks are pivoted at difierent points, and a contact carried by said armand cooperating with said fixed contact.

3. In a switch, the combination of a fixed contact, a support, an arm,two links pivoted both to the support and to the arm at differentcenters on each, the two links crossing each other, and a contactcarried by said arm and cooperating with said fixed contact.

4. In a switch, the combination of a support, an arm, a pair of crossedllnks connecting said arm to said support, a cam mounted on the arm andcooperating with said support, and a pair of relatively movable contactsone of which is carried by said arm.

5. In a switch, the combination of a group of laminated contacts, acontact plate cooperating therewith and movable relatively to theengaging surfaces of the laminee, such movement being oblique both tothe plane and to the edges of the laminae, and operating meanscomprising crossed links for eflecting said movement.

group of laminae with their ends arranged in a-plane, a contact platemovable into and out of engagement with the ends of the laminae andhaving a slicing movement relative tothe edges of the laminae, andoperating means comprising crossed links for efiecting such movement.

.7. In a switch", the combination of a support, an arm carrying a maincontact, a separate. arm carrying an arcing contact, a link connectingthe two arms, a second link be tween said support and the point ofconnection of said first link to said main contact arm, and operatingmeans for causing said1 main contact arm to move in a definite p 8. In aswitch, the combination of a support, an arm carrying a main contact,another arm carrying an arcing contact, a link connecting the two arms,and means for efi'ecting their movement comprising a cam memberconnected to said main contact and engaging a portion of said support.

9. In a switch, the combination of a pair of fixed contacts, an armcarrying a contact, a separate arm carrying another contact, a linkconnecting said arms, and means for efiecting the operation of said twoarms to bring said movable contacts into engagement with said fixedcontacts, said means comprising a pair of crossed links.

10. In a switch, the combination of a support, an arm carrying a maincontact, a separate arm carrying an arcing contact, a link connectingsaid two arms, and a, ny rality of links independently connec ilg saidsupport and one of said two arms at Milwaukee, Wis, Dec. 9,1910. 10 Qdifferent points along said latter arm. In testimony whereof I aflix mysigna- 11. In a switch, the combination of a supture, in the presence oftwo witnesses. port, an arm carrying a main contact, a 5 separate armcarrying an arcing contact, a ALEXANDER J. LOGUIN.

link connecting the two arms, links connecting said suport at twodifferent oints Witnesses: to one of said two arms, and means or ef-Grms. L. BYRON, :Eecting the operation of said links and arms. TEKLABAST.

coplel 02 this patent may-be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patent, Washington, D. O."

